Florida Alumni waiting on the trolley at the St. Pat's parade in Naples.
April 24, 2017
The Florida Alumni Events tour, which spanned both coasts of Florida February 23 to March 12, gave alumni an opportunity to create new memories and recall their days at St. John’s University.
Alumni Ambassador Richard Chappetto ’73Ed has been involved in Florida Alumni events for more than four years as a way to stay connected to his friends. “St. John’s was a place where I received a good education and enjoyed good times,” Mr. Chappetto reminisced. “We have always kept in touch with our college friends, and try to schedule a dinner when we are in New York.”
The tour began with a reception in Jacksonville, Florida, where Alumni Ambassadors Marisa McGrann Brighton ’12G, ’12APC and her husband, Whit, welcomed guests to their home. After, many in The Villages adult community enjoyed watching the St. John’s men’s basketball team defeat arch rival Georgetown.
Alumna Kathleen M. La Vache ’74Ed, a member of The McCallen and Loughlin Society, attended this event. "The St. John’s University community was a central part of my life,” Ms. La Vache recalled. “Unfortunately, I didn’t make many connections when I went [to St. John’s], but I’m making them now.”
In Orlando, everyone enjoyed the Alumni Lunch and Wine Tasting. Kelly A. Morana-Piazza ’02CPS, ’07MPS, ’13MSED was delighted to learn that there were more alumni in Orlando than she had realized after she moved to Florida three years ago to start her career as a counselor in Orange County Drug Treatment Court. Now she is starting her own nonprofit, Invest in Recovery, which was inspired by a former client who credits Ms. Morana-Piazza with changing his life.
“St. John’s helped me a lot,” Ms. Morana-Piazza said. “Just having the support of my professors at a graduate level always saying that you can start something and make a difference—that always stuck with me.”
The game watch in Pembroke Pines drew many Johnnies who showed great school spirit. Darren J. Kiley ’88SVC, one of the Alumni Ambassadors, fondly recalled working for WSJU, the school radio station, and writing for St. John’s Today, the official school newspaper at the time.
“I was living on Long Island, so I was a commuter,” Mr. Kiley said. "One of the best things I did at St. John’s, besides attending all those theology classes, was become a manager for Lou Carnesecca’s basketball team. It was a great time, and I loved it. I don’t think I’ve missed a St. John’s basketball game since.”
The North Palm Beach event, which was hosted by The McCallen Society, featured an acoustic performance by harpist Marcos Vega that set the tone during the sunny outdoor reception. William E. Stanton ’65CBA, ’72L, one of the guests, said he had a wonderful time with his son, E. William Stanton ’06MBA. “I’ve seen people who graduated from St. John’s in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s,” he commented.
Mr. Stanton was pleased to hear the latest news from Norean R. Sharpe, Ph.D., Dean of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. “I’m very impressed with the new dean and the direction in which the school is going,” he said. “It’s always great to see everybody who’s associated with St. John’s. It is like no other school in the country. [Those who attend] are very self-made, accomplished people.”
At the Sarasota Alumni Reception at the Founders Club, hosted by Vanna and Harry Beeth ’67CBA, ’70MBA, Bob Kelly ’61CBA and Edward Redding ’50CBA, ’86HON spoke about their time at St. John’s. Mr. Redding even brought a tear to some of his fellow alumni’s eyes when he told the story of how he met his wife.
“I was talking to my friend about the great basketball game. A girl with long hair came up and asked him, ‘Would you be interested in going to our sorority dance on Friday night?’” His friend apologized and said he was busy, even though he “never had much to do,” Redding said with a laugh. “And that’s how I met my wife!”
One of the highlights of the tour was the St. John’s signature St. Patrick’s Day Parade Weekend in Naples. Alumni from across the Sunshine State represented the University at the parade, sporting green and, of course, a hint of red.
Anthony J. Segelski ’65C, ’67GEd said he had a wonderful time marching in the parade. “I can’t really say I’ve met people from my year, but I’ve met people who have become great friends.”
An Alumni Brunch in Bonita Springs concluded the 2017 Florida Alumni Events. Patricia M. Cooke ’68Ed, an Alumni Ambassador, visits Florida throughout the year. “For the last few years, I have been attending all of the alumni functions,” Ms. Cooke said. “I’m very impressed with the staff: Susan, Mark, Adriana, and Tara. I enjoy them so much that I started helping as an Alumni Ambassador.”
Susan M. Damiani ’87CBA, Director of The McCallen Society and the Office of Gift Planning, said that the Florida Alumni Events would not have gone as smoothly without the help of people like Ms. Cooke. “We really appreciate all the support we have received from our Alumni Ambassadors! It’s great to see their school spirit still holds strong even after they’ve graduated,” Ms. Damiani said. “We hope to continue to grow our Alumni Ambassadors group so that we can have bigger and better Florida Alumni gatherings in the near future.”
If you would like to see some of your fellow alumni during these celebrations, follow us on St. John’s University Alumni Facebook page, as well as on our Instagram and Twitter pages at @stjohnsalumni. You may also connect with other alumni by liking our St. John’s University Florida Alumni Chapter Facebook page.
In addition, The McCallen Society now has a Facebook page where you can find information about upcoming events, among other things. Follow Ms. Damiani on Twitter at @damianisusan for posts about establishing your legacy at St. John’s.
To learn more about opportunities offered through the Office of Gift Planning and Alumni Relations, or if you have any questions, e-mail Ms. Damiani at [email protected] or Mark A. Andrews, Director of Alumni Relations, at [email protected].